- New research shows that a high percentage of newly diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes are linked to obesity.
- Other risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes include family history and certain ethnicities.
- A modest drop in body weight — as little as 5 percent — can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Eating a nutrient-rich diet and regular exercise can help reduce body weight.
Recent research sheds new light on the importance of weight loss to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The study, published this week in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA), found that obesity is a contributing factor in a significant number of type 2 diabetes cases.
“It is not surprising to anyone that obesity is an important risk factor for diabetes,” Dr. Sadiya S. Khan, a senior author of the study and an assistant professor of medicine and preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Illinois, told Healthline.
“What surprised us was the extent of the burden for diabetes related to obesity. Between one-third to one-half of new cases of diabetes were attributed to obesity,” Khan noted.
Healthline interviewed experts who said that the study underlines the connection between obesity and type 2 diabetes and that it could serve as a wake-up call to those who are already at risk.
Source: healthline